Solar Wind Charge Exchange Research Articles

The SRG/eROSITA diffuse soft X-ray background

Context. The SRG/eROSITA All-Sky Surveys (eRASSs) combine the advantages of complete sky coverage and the energy resolution provided by the charge couple device and offer the most holistic and detailed view of the diffuse soft X-ray background (SXRB) to date. The first eRASS (eRASSl) was completed at solar minimum, when solar wind charge exchange emission was minimal, providing the clearest view of the SXRB. Aims. We aim to extract spatial and spectral information from each constituent of the SXRB in the western Galactic hemisphere, focusing on the local hot bubble (LHB). Methods. We extracted and analysed eRASSl spectra from almost all directions in the western Galactic hemisphere by dividing the sky into equal signal-to-noise bins. We fitted all bins with fixed spectral templates of known background constituents. Results. We find the temperature of the LHB exhibits a north-south dichotomy at high latitudes (|b| > 30°), with the south being hotter, with a mean temperature at kT = 121.8 ± 0.6 eV and the north at kT = 100.8 ± 0.5 eV. At low latitudes, the LHB temperature increases towards the Galactic plane, especially towards the inner Galaxy. The LHB emission measure (EMLHB) enhances approximately towards the Galactic poles. The EMLHB map shows clear anti-correlation with the local dust column density. In particular, we found tunnels of dust cavities filled with hot plasma, potentially forming a wider network of hot interstellar medium. We also constructed a three-dimensional LHB model from EMLHB, assuming constant density. The average thermal pressure of the LHB is Pthermal/k = 10100−1500+1200 cm−3 K, a lower value than typical supernova remnants and wind-blown bubbles. This could be an indication of the LHB being open towards high Galactic latitudes.

The exosphere of Mars can be tracked by a high-spectral resolution telescope, such as the Line Emission Mapper

Abstract Mars provides our local analogue for unmagnetized terrestrial planets and is thus key to understanding the habitability of exoplanets. The lack of a global magnetic field means that the atmosphere interacts directly with the solar wind, causing significant loss of the atmosphere. While in situ measurements provide a wealth of detailed local information, they are limited in deriving the global picture. In contrast, remote X-ray observations can provide important global instantaneous coverage over multiple seasons and sampling different solar wind. Previous XMM-Newton observations have detected significant flux via the solar wind charge exchange emission (SWCX) mechanism from an extended planetary halo, and from atmospheric fluorescence. In contrast, Chandra observations only detected a low-luminosity disk and a faint halo. It is postulated that these observational differences are due to transient solar wind with increased heavy ion fractions. Here, we present simulated spectra for the proposed NASA mission Line Emission Mapper, of both halo and disk regions, under quiet and transient solar wind. We show that even under moderate solar wind conditions, both SWCX and fluorescence emission lines are readily detected above the background, providing new insights into the loss of planetary atmospheres and the molecular composition of less well-characterised atmospheric abundances.

Modeling Soft X‐Ray Emissions at the Dayside Magnetopause

AbstractIn this study, we simulate the Solar Wind Charge Exchange (SWCX) soft X‐ray emissions at dayside magnetosheath and cusps by using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and LAtmos TEst Particle (LaTeP) models. MHD models are unable to resolve the particle kinetic effects, such as the different behaviors of ions with different q/m, or distinguish the magnetospheric plasma from the solar wind plasma. We investigate these effects with the LaTeP model. As the LaTeP model does not self‐compute magnetic and electric field, the magnetic and electric field data obtained from Open Geospace General Circulation Model (OpenGGCM) and Lagrangian version of the piecewise parabolic method (PPMLR) MHD model are used as the input to LaTeP model. The soft X‐ray emissivity maps simulated from pure OpenGGCM and PPMLR MHD approaches and from LaTeP‐OpenGGCM and LaTeP‐PPMLR approaches are presented and compared. The results indicate that the LaTeP model can well resolve the kinetic effects and can be used to investigate the individual spectral characteristics. Therefore, the LaTeP model is a complementary approach for simulating the X‐ray emissions near the dayside magnetopause. We also calculate the ratio of integrated OVII/OVIII line intensities, produced by charge exchange of O7+ ions and O8+ ions, respectively. We find a relatively higher ratio at the bow shock compared to the surrounding areas, suggesting that this ratio can be an effective parameter to identify the bow shock location.

EROSITA narrowband maps at the energies of soft X-ray emission lines

Hot plasma plays a crucial role in regulating the baryon cycle within the Milky Way, flowing from the energetic sources in the Galactic center and plane, to the corona and the halo. This hot plasma represents an important fraction of the Galactic baryons, plays a key role in galactic outflows and is an important ingredient in galaxy evolution models. Taking advantage of the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG first all-sky survey (eRASS1), in this work our aim is to provide a panoramic view of the hot circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the Milky Way. Compared to the previous all-sky X-ray survey performed by ROSAT, the improved energy resolution of enabled us to map, for the first time, the sky within the narrow energy bands characteristic of soft X-ray emission lines. These lines provide essential information on the physical properties of the hot plasma. Here we present the eRASS1\ half sky maps in narrow energy bands corresponding to the most prominent soft X-ray lines and which allowed us to constrain the distribution of the hot plasma within and surrounding the Milky Way. We corrected the maps by removing the expected contribution associated with the cosmic X-ray background, the time-variable solar wind charge exchange, and the local hot bubble. We applied corrections to mitigate the effect of absorption, therefore highlighting the emission from the CGM of the Milky Way. We used the line ratio of the oxygen lines as a proxy to constrain the temperature of the warm-hot CGM, and we defined a pseudo-temperature $ T $ map. The map highlights how different regions are dominated by different thermal components. Toward the outer halo, the temperature distribution of the CGM on angular scales of 2--20 deg is consistent with being constant $ T T 4<!PCT!>$ with a marginal detection of $ T T = 2.7 <!PCT!> 0.2<!PCT!>$ (statistical) $ 0.6<!PCT!>$ (systematic) in the southern hemisphere. Instead significant variations of $ 12<!PCT!>$ are observed on scales of many tens of degrees when comparing the northern and southern hemispheres. The pseudo-temperature map shows significant variations across the borders of the bubbles, suggesting temperature variations, possibly linked to shocks, between the interior of the Galactic outflow and the unperturbed CGM. In particular, a shell characterized by a lower line ratio appears close to the edge of the bubbles.

Solar Wind Charge-Exchange X-ray Emissions from the O5+ Ions in the Earth’s Magnetosheath

The spectra and global distributions of the X-ray emissions generated by the solar wind charge-exchange (SWCX) process in the terrestrial magnetosheath are investigated based on a global hybrid model and a global geocoronal hydrogen model. Solar wind O6+ ions, which are the primary charge state for oxygen ions in solar wind, are considered. The line emissivity of the charge-exchange-borne O5+ ions is calculated by the Spectral Analysis System for Astrophysical and Laboratory (SASAL). It is found that the emission lines from O5+ range from 105.607 to 118.291 eV with a strong line at 107.047 eV. We then simulate the magnetosheath X-ray emission intensity distributions with a virtual camera at two positions of the north pole and dusk at six stages during the passing of a perpendicular interplanetary shock combined with a tangential discontinuity structure through the Earth’s magnetosphere. During this process, the X-ray emission intensity increases with time, and the maximum value is 27.11 keV cm−2 s−1 sr−1 on the dayside, which is 4.5 times that before the solar wind structure reached the Earth. A clear shock structure can be seen in the magnetosheath and moves earthward. The maximum emission intensity seen at dusk is always higher than that seen at the north pole.

The XMM-Newton Line Emission Analysis Program (X-LEAP). I. Emission-line Survey of O vii, O viii, and Fe L-shell Transitions

The XMM-Newton Line Emission Analysis Program (X-LEAP) is designed to study diffuse X-ray emissions from the Milky Way (MW) hot gas, as well as emissions from the foreground solar wind charge exchange (SWCX). This paper presents an all-sky survey of spectral feature intensities corresponding to the O vii, O viii, and iron L-shell (Fe-L) emissions. These intensities are derived from 5418 selected XMM-Newton observations with long exposure times and minimal contamination from point or extended sources. For 90% of the measured intensities, the values are within ≈2–18 photons cm−2 s−1 sr−1 (line unit (LU)), ≈0–8 LU, and ≈0–9 LU, respectively. We report long-term variations in O vii and O viii intensities over 22 yr, closely correlating with the solar cycle and attributed to SWCX emissions. These variations contribute ∼30% and ∼20% to the observed intensities on average and peak at ≈4 and ≈1 LU during solar maxima. We also find evidence of short-term and spatial variations in SWCX, indicating the need for a more refined SWCX model in future studies. In addition, we present SWCX- and absorption-corrected all-sky maps for a better view of the MW hot gas emission. These maps show a gradual decrease in oxygen intensity moving away from the Galactic center and a concentration of Fe-L intensity in the Galactic bubbles and disk.

Soft X-ray observing the cosmic sources by the ESA–CAS satellite SMILE

This paper describes the scientific potential of a Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) onboard the ESA–CAS satellite SMILE for investigating cosmic X-ray sources of various types. We show that this instrument, albeit designed for X-ray imaging of solar wind Charge eXchange of the magnetosheath and the cusps, is also essential for astrophysics because it is able to provide wide-field imaging of the sky in the soft X-ray region. Regarding sufficiently luminous X-ray sources with continuous spectra to be observable by the X-ray monitor MAXI/ISS to assess the object types and their light curves that are expected to be detected by SXI/SMILE, the compact sources accreting matter are promising targets for evaluating the possibilities of SXI. We assumed only the cosmic objects located in the planned fields to be observed by SXI. We used the 2–3keV band flux of MAXI/ISS covering at least part of the expected band of the SXI/SMILE telescope. We used the data obtained by MAXI/ISS to assess the object types and their light curves expected to be detected by SXI/SMILE. We show the long-term activity of the examples of X-ray binary types located in this region. We present the typical features of such objects' activity on long timescales (e.g., outbursts and state transitions) and include physical interpretations of these phenomena. Furthermore, we discuss how SXI can contribute to this branch.

Soft X-Ray Energy Spectra in the Wide-field Galactic Disk Area Revealed with HaloSat

We analyzed data from HaloSat observations for five fields in the Galactic disk located far away from the Galactic center (135° < l < 254°) to understand the nature of soft X-ray energy emission in the Galactic disk. The fields have 14° diameter and were selected to contain no significant high-flux X-ray sources. All five HaloSat soft X-ray energy spectra (0.4–7 keV with energy resolution of < 100 eV below 1 keV) show a possibility of the presence of unresolved high-temperature plasma in the Galactic disk (UHTPGD) with a temperature of 0.8–1.0 keV and an emission measure of (8–11) × 10−4 cm−6 pc in addition to the soft X-ray diffuse background components mainly studied at higher Galactic latitudes (solar wind charge exchange emission, Local Hot Bubble, Milky Way halo emission, and the cosmic X-ray background). This suggests that the UHTPGD is present across the whole Galactic disk. We also observed UHTPGD emission in a region with no bright sources in an XMM-Newton field contained within one of the HaloSat fields. The temperature and emission measure are consistent with those measured with HaloSat. Moreover, the stacked spectra of the X-ray pointlike sources and near-infrared-identified point sources such as stars in the XMM-Newton field also show a spectral feature similar to the UHTPGD emission. This suggests that the UHTPGD may partly originate from pointlike sources such as stars.

Solar wind ion charge state distributions and compound cross sections for solar wind charge exchange X-ray emission

Solar wind ion charge state distributions and compound cross sections for solar wind charge exchange X-ray emission

Two methods for separating the magnetospheric solar wind charge exchange soft X-ray emission from the diffuse X-ray background

Two methods for separating the magnetospheric solar wind charge exchange soft X-ray emission from the diffuse X-ray background

Hybrid-Vlasov simulation of soft X-ray emissions at the Earth’s dayside magnetospheric boundaries

Solar wind charge exchange produces emissions in the soft X-ray energy range which can enable the study of near-Earth space regions such as the magnetopause, the magnetosheath and the polar cusps by remote sensing techniques. The Solar wind–Magnetosphere–Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) and Lunar Environment heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) missions aim to obtain soft X-ray images of near-Earth space thanks to their Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) instruments. While earlier modeling works have already simulated soft X-ray images as might be obtained by SMILE SXI during its mission, the numerical models used so far are all based on the magnetohydrodynamics description of the space plasma.To investigate the possible signatures of ion-kinetic-scale processes in soft X-ray images,we use for the first time a global hybrid-Vlasov simulation of the geospace from the Vlasiator model. The simulation is driven by fast and tenuous solar wind conditions and purely southward interplanetary magnetic field. We first produce global X-ray images of the dayside near-Earth space by placing a virtual imaging satellite at two different locations,providing meridional and equatorial views. We then analyze regional features present in the images and show that they correspond to signatures in soft X-ray emissions of mirror mode wave structures in the magnetosheath and flux transfer events (FTEs) at the magnetopause. Our results suggest that, although the time scales associated with the motion of those transient phenomena will likely be significantly smaller than the integration time of the SMILE and LEXI imagers, mirror-mode structures and FTEs can cumulatively produce detectable signatures in the soft X-ray images. For instance, a local increase by 30% in the proton density at the dayside magnetopause resulting from the transit of multiple FTEs leads to a 12% enhancement in the line-of-sight- and timeintegrated soft X-ray emissivity originating from this region. Likewise, a proton density increase by 14% in the magnetosheath associated with mirror-mode structures can result in an enhancement in the soft X-ray signal by 4%. These are likely conservative estimates, given that the solar wind conditions used in the Vlasiator run can be expected to generate weaker soft X-ray emissions than the more common denser solar wind. These results will contribute to the preparatory work for the SMILE and LEXI missions by providing the community with quantitative estimates of the effects of small-scale, transient phenomena occurring on the dayside.

Geocoronal Solar Wind Charge Exchange Process Associated With the 2006‐December‐13 Coronal Mass Ejection Event

AbstractWe report the discovery of a geocoronal solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) event corresponding to the well‐known 2006 December 13th coronal mass ejection (CME) event. Strong evidence for the charge exchange origin of this transient diffuse emission is provided by prominent non‐thermal emission lines at energies of O7+, Ne9+, Mg11+, Si12+, Si13+. Especially, a 0.53 keV emission line that most likely arises from the N5+ 1s15p1 → 1s2 transition is detected. Previously, the forecastability of SWCX occurrence with proton flares has been disputed. In this particular event, we found that the SWCX signal coincided with the arrival of the magnetic cloud inside CME, triggered with a time delay after the proton flux fluctuation as the CME shock front passed through the Earth. Moreover, a spacecraft orbital modulation in SWCX light curve suggests that the emission arises close to the Earth. The line of sight was found to always pass through the northern magnetospheric cusp. The SWCX intensity was high when the line of sight passed the dusk side of the cusp, suggesting an azimuthal anisotropy in the flow of solar‐wind ions inside the cusp. An axisymmetric SWCX emission model is found to underestimate the observed peak intensity by a factor of about 50. We suggest this discrepancy is related to the azimuthal anisotropy of the solar‐wind flow in the cusp.

The soft X-ray background with Suzaku. II. Supervirial temperature bubbles?

Abstract Observations of the hot X-ray emitting interstellar medium in the Milky Way are important for studying the stellar feedback and for understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies. We present measurements of the soft X-ray background emission for 130 Suzaku observations at 75° &amp;lt; l &amp;lt; 285° and |b| &amp;gt; 15°. With the standard soft X-ray background model consisting of the local hot bubble and of the Milky Way halo, residual structures remain at 0.7–1 keV in the spectra of some regions. Adding a collisional-ionization-equilibrium component with a temperature of ∼0.8 keV, much higher than the virial temperature of the Milky Way, significantly reduces the derived C-statistic for 56 out of 130 observations. The emission measure of the 0.8 keV component varies by more than an order of magnitude: assuming the solar abundance, the median value is $3 \times 10^{-4}\, \rm {cm^{-6}\ pc}$ and the 16th–84th percentile range is $(1\!-\!8) \times 10^{-4}\, \rm {cm^{-6}\ pc}$. Regions toward the Orion–Eridanus superbubble, having a large cavity extending from the Ori OB1 association, have the highest emission measures of the 0.8 keV component. While the scatter is large, the emission measures tend to be higher toward lower galactic latitudes. We discuss possible biases caused by the solar wind charge exchange, stars, and background groups. The 0.8 keV component is probably heated by supernovae in the Milky Way disk, possibly related to Galactic fountains.

Observations of Magnetospheric Solar Wind Charge Exchange

The study of solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) emission is vital to both the X-ray astrophysics and heliophysics communities. SWCX emission contaminates all astrophysical observations in X-rays regardless of the direction. Ignoring this contribution to X-ray spectra can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the astrophysical plasmas along the line of sight owing to the similar spectral distributions of SWCX and several common types of more distant astrophysical plasmas. Since its discovery, the literature has distinguished between diffuse SWCX emission resulting from solar wind–neutral interactions within Earth’s magnetosphere, called magnetospheric SWCX, and similar interactions occurring more generally throughout the heliosphere, called heliospheric SWCX. Here we build on previous work validating a modeling method for the heliospheric SWCX contribution in X-ray spectra obtained with a medium-resolution CubeSat instrument named HaloSat at low ecliptic latitudes. We now apply this model to a specially designed set of extended observations with the same instrument and successfully separate the spectral contributions of the astrophysical background and the heliospheric SWCX from the remaining contributions. Specifically, we find significant excess emission for four observations in the O vii emission line not explained by other sources, possibly indicative of magnetospheric SWCX. We discuss these results in comparison with simulation results publicly available through the Community Coordinated Modeling Center. We also report an absorbed high-temperature component in 2 of the 12 fields of view analyzed.

Evidence of Non‐Thermal Hydrogen in the Exosphere of Mars Resulting in Enhanced Water Loss

AbstractAtomic H is a direct tracer of water loss at Mars. The recent discovery of annual enhancements in its escape rate near perihelion, in excess of the previously established theory, indicates that Mars has lost substantial amounts of water to space. However, these loss rates are often estimated assuming thermal properties for the exospheric H atoms and are therefore a lower limit. Past analyses of spacecraft observations delivered indirect evidence for the existence of an energetic non‐thermal H population without a clear detection. Here, we present the unambiguous observational signature of non‐thermal H at Mars, consistent with solar wind charge exchange as the primary driver for its production. The calculated non‐thermal escape rates are as high as ∼26% of the thermal rate near aphelion and solar minima. An active Sun would increase the present‐day escape rate and a younger energetic Sun likely contributed toward the significant historic loss of water from Mars.

SRG/eROSITA X-ray shadowing study of giant molecular clouds

Context. SRG/eROSITA is situated in a halo orbit around L2 where the highly variable solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) emission from Earth’s magnetosheath is expected to be negligible. The soft X-ray foreground emissions from the local hot bubble (LHB) and the remaining heliospheric SWCX emissions could be studied in unprecedented detail with eROSITA All-Sky Survey (eRASS) data in a 6-month cadence and better spectral resolution than ROSAT. Aims. We aim to use eRASS data of the sight lines towards three giant molecular clouds away from the Galactic plane to isolate and study the soft X-ray diffuse foreground emission. These X-ray shadows will serve as calibration baselines for the future three-dimensional structural study of the LHB. Methods. We conducted spectral analysis on the diffuse X-ray spectra of these clouds from the first four eRASSs to estimate and separate the heliospheric SWCX contribution from the LHB emission. Results. We find the density of the LHB to be independent of the sight line with ne ~ 4 × 10−3 cm−3, but not the temperature. We report a lower temperature of kTLHB = 0.084 ± 0.004 keV towards Chamaeleon II &amp; III (Cha II &amp; III) than Ophiuchus (Oph) and Corona Australis (CrA), in which we measured 0.102 ± 0.006 and 0.112 ± 0.009 keV, respectively. We measured the emission measure of the LHB to be ~2 × 10−3 cm−6 pc at medium Galactic latitudes (|b| ~ 20°). A monotonic increase in the SWCX contribution has been observed since the start of 2020, coincidental with the beginning of solar cycle 25. For Oph, SWCX has dominated the LHB in the 0.3−0.7 keV band intensity since eRASS2. We observed lower SWCX contributions in Cha II &amp; III and CrA, consistent with the expected decreasing solar wind ion density at high heliographic latitudes.

Abundance and temperature of the outer hot circumgalactic medium

Context. Despite their vital importance to understanding galaxy evolution and our own Galactic ecosystem, our knowledge of the physical properties of the hot X-ray emitting phase of the Milky Way is still inadequate. However, sensitive SRG/eROSITA large area surveys are now providing us with the long-sought data needed to mend this state of affairs. Aims. Our aim is to constrain the properties of the Milky Way hot halo emission toward intermediate Galactic latitudes close to the Galactic anti-center. Methods. We analyzed the spectral properties of the integrated soft X-ray emission observed by eROSITA in the relatively deep eFEDS field. Results. We observe a flux of 12.6 and 5.1 × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 deg−2 in the total (0.3–2) and soft (0.3–0.6 keV) band. We measure the temperature and metal (oxygen) abundance of the hot circumgalactic medium (CGM) to be within kTCGM = 0.153–0.178 keV and ZCGM = 0.052–0.072 Z⊙, depending on the contribution of solar wind charge exchange (SWCX). Slightly higher CGM abundances ZCGM = 0.05–0.10 Z⊙ are possible, considering the uncertain extrapolation of the extragalactic cosmic X-ray background (CXB) emission below ~1 keV. To recover CGM abundances as high as ZCGM = 0.3 Z⊙, the presence of an additional component must be postulated, likely associated with the warm-hot intergalactic medium, providing ~15–20% of the flux in the soft X-ray band. We observe line widths of the CGM plasma smaller than Δυ ≤ 500 km s−1. The emission in the soft band is dominated (~47%) by the circumgalactic medium (CGM), whose contribution reduces to ~30% if heliospheric SWCX contributes at the level of ~15% also during solar minimum. The remaining flux is provided by the CXB (~33%) and the local hot bubble (~18%). Moreover, the eROSITA data require the presence of an additional component associated with the elusive Galactic corona plus a possible contribution from unresolved M dwarf stars. This component has a temperature of kT ~ 0.4– 0.7 keV, a considerable (~ kiloparsec) scale height, and might be out of thermal equilibrium. It contributes ~9% to the total emission in the 0.6—2 keV band, and is therefore a likely candidate to produce part of the unresolved CXB flux observed in X-ray ultra-deep fields. We also observe a significant contribution to the soft X-ray flux due to SWCX, during periods characterized by stronger solar wind activity, and causing the largest uncertainty on the determination of the CGM temperature. Conclusions. We constrain temperature, emission measure, abundances, thermal state, and spectral shape of the outer hot CGM of the Milky Way.

Dynamical Response of Solar Wind Charge Exchange Soft X-Ray Emission in Earth’s Magnetosphere to the Solar Wind Proton Flux

This work studies the dynamic response of solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) soft X-ray emission in the Earth’s magnetosphere to the solar wind proton flux. Unlike previous studies that attempted to use complex magnetohydrodynamic models to match the details of observed SWCX of a necessarily limited number of cases, this work focuses on determining the changes over individual observations in a much larger sample. To provide the cleanest test, we selected XMM-Newton observations when the solar wind proton flux changed suddenly by a factor greater than 1.5 and calculated the correlation coefficient between the SWCX emission in the 0.5–0.7 keV band and the proton flux. We find that the dynamical response is weak when the solar wind proton flux is low (<10,000 n*km/cc/s) because its variation is smaller than the uncertainty due to other emission components, but this response increases with the proton flux and its change value. The response is improved when the valence state of solar wind ions is high, as a higher abundance of ions generating SWCX can produce a greater correlation even though the proton flux is relatively low. It is conducive to the study of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) because ions in ICMEs are usually highly ionized. For XMM-Newton, the 0.5–0.7 keV band shows the strongest correlation, as the instrumental response decreases at lower energies and the SWCX emission decreases at higher energies. Moreover, the closer the satellite line of sight is to the subsolar magnetopause with the strongest SWCX emissivity, the better the correlation.

Point-source Contribution to the Diffuse X-Ray Background below 1 keV and Its Effect on Our Understanding of the Circumgalactic Medium

We studied the spectral signature of different components of the diffuse X-ray background (DXB), including Local Hot Bubble, solar wind charge exchange, galactic halo, and typically unresolved point sources (galaxies and active galactic nuclei), in the direction of the Chandra Deep Field South using the 4 Ms XMM-Newton survey and Chandra 4 Ms Source Catalog. In this paper, we present our results showing how the different components contribute to the DXB below 1 keV. In particular, we have found that ∼6% of the emission at keV (all-sky average value ≈3 × 10−3 cm−6 pc), which is typically associated with galactic halo (GH) and circumgalactic medium (CGM), is, in fact, due to emission from typically unresolved galaxies. We will discuss the effect that this has on our understanding of GH and CGM and to our understanding of the missing CGM baryons.

The Relationship between Solar Wind Charge Exchange Soft X-ray Emission and the Tangent Direction of Magnetopause in an XMM–Newton Event

With the advent of soft X-ray imaging enabling global magnetopause detection, it is critical to use reconstruction techniques to derive the 3-dimensional magnetopause location from 2-dimensional X-ray images. One of the important assumptions adopted by most techniques is that the direction with maximum soft X-ray emission is the tangent direction of the magnetopause, which has not been validated in observation so far. This paper analyzes a magnetospheric solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) soft X-ray event detected by XMM–Newton during relatively stable solar wind and geomagnetic conditions. The tangent direction of the magnetopause is determined by an empirical magnetopause model. Observation results show that the maximum SWCX soft X-ray intensity gradient tends to be the tangent of the magnetopause’s inner boundary, while the maximum SWCX soft X-ray intensity tends to be the tangent of the magnetopause’s outer boundary. Therefore, it is credible to use the assumption that the tangent direction of the magnetopause is the maximum SWCX soft X-ray intensity or its gradient when reconstructing the 3-dimensional magnetopause location. In addition, since these two maxima tend to be the inner and outer boundaries of the magnetopause, the thickness of magnetopause can also be revealed by soft X-ray imaging.